Midjourney has launched a new feature, Character Reference, to help users generate consistent characters. The AI tool uses a reference image to create the character, allowing the character to be consistent across various scenes or environments. If you’ve been struggling to maintain consistency in your characters, this new feature offers a promising solution.
The Character Reference feature works similarly to Midjourney’s Style Reference feature. Rather than focusing on matching a particular artistic style, it prioritizes replicating the character’s appearance. By uploading a reference image and using certain commands, users can guide Midjourney in generating characters closely aligning with the reference provided.
You can adjust the strength of the reference using the –cw command, where values range from 0 to 100. At the maximum strength of 100, the AI tool considers aspects such as the character’s face, hair, and apparel while generating the image. The Character Reference feature also allows for blending information from multiple images, enabling the creation of unique characters.
A step-by-step process on how to create consistent character images with Midjourney was also provided:
1. Create a Base Image: First, users must generate a base image that Midjourney can reference.
2. Using Character Reference Parameter: After creating the base image, the URL of this base image is needed. By writing a new prompt for the character and adding –cref followed by the image URL at the end of your prompt, users can generate images of the same character in different environments or scenarios. Users can control how much Midjourney should match the features of the base character image by using the –cw (character weight) command.
The Character Reference feature also includes a ‘character weight’ parameter. This allows users to control how closely the created image should match the reference image. The ability to incorporate multiple character reference images enhances this feature further.
Additionally, using Character Reference and Style Reference together can significantly alter the character’s appearance, changing their color palette, clothing style, and overall aesthetic while maintaining consistent facial features.
It’s important to note though this feature aims to produce consistent characters, it’s still in its early stages, and the precision of the characteristics generated may not be perfect. That being said, Midjourney’s Character Reference feature is still a powerful tool that gives users the ability to maintain character consistency while exploring various styles & variations.
